Carl Sandburg's “Chicago” is more than a poem. It’s a time capsule that holds the legacy of one of the most important industrial cities and its feel at the turn of the 20th century. Originally published in “Poetry” magazine in 1914, the poem gave Chicago the moniker “The City of the Big Shoulders,” a name that has lived on to the present day. Sandburg used several techniques to capture Chicago, including matching his word choices to the rhythm and feel of the city.

Look Who’s Talking

Sandburg takes a firm authorial stance by choosing first person for “Chicago.” Thanks to his use of the word "I," the reader can connect with Sandburg’s convictions; in other words, the author holds his strong feelings up to the reader unabashedly and owns these feelings. Sandburg also establishes his credibility by using the phrase "I have seen" multiple times. The reader understands Sandburg as an authoritative figure, one who is writing from personal experience.

Negativity? No Problem

One way Sandburg so powerfully portrays Chicago is through choice of content; instead of creating a glossy image of perfection, he includes and rebuts the negatives of the city. He admits to Chicago’s blights, including prostitution, crime and poverty, but notes that the city is strong regardless of these problems -- strong and proud and fierce. The gritty spirit of the city shines through in a way that is more powerful than if Sandburg had sugarcoated the negatives.

Figurative Language

Sandburg effectively uses a handful of figurative language types in “Chicago.” Simile is used several times, such as in the line “Fierce as a dog with tongue lapping”; metaphor, too, can be found, as when Sandburg calls the city a “tall, bold slugger.” Personification is also in evidence, especially in the latter half of the poem, where Sandburg writes of the city that “…under his wrist is the pulse.”

Words Matter

Sandburg wrote predominately free-verse poems, which are poems with no regulated rhyme or meter structure, and “Chicago” is no exception. This doesn’t mean, however, that the piece is without musicality. Many lines have a melodic flow that builds and climaxes with the staccato punch of one-syllable words. The words Sandburg chooses are important for more than this rhythm, however. His word choice tends toward hard, demanding, even negative action words: "sneer" and "‘toil" and "wrecking" and "bragging." Each of these words contributes to the vivid and fast-moving quality of the poem -- a quality that matches the city itself.

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About the Author

Melissa Harr is a writer and knitting pattern designer with a range of publication credits. Her latest work includes blogging for Smudge Yarns, judging fiction for Ink & Insights 2015 and creating patterns for I Like Knitting magazine. Harr holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a CELTA.